


This Night Sky

by thechickenpanda



Series: Around the Wall [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-05 01:58:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1801246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thechickenpanda/pseuds/thechickenpanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a society where the different classes separate Castiel from the less fortunate, he has a chance meeting one night with Dean that will completely change his outlook, his future, and his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Castiel sat on the balcony of his bedroom in the house that he shared with his siblings, scribbling on the tablet in his hand and staring up at the stars. He didn't look down at his drawings; his eyes were trained on the lenses of his slim goggles which busily took measurements and data as he moved his head. He had always liked the night sky. There was something about the stars that made him feel whole, like he was part of something. He didn't know why though. What would he be doing in the sky?  
“Hey! Cassie!”  
His brother's voice startled him and he turned around to see Gabriel standing behind him, dressed in rather shabby looking clothes. His goggles displayed the elder brother's height and weight, as well as a description of some of his other statistics.   
“Has Michael seen you dressed like that?” he inquired.  
“No, and he isn't going to. I'm going out, and you're coming too.”  
“Hmm, no.” Cas responded. “I'm content as I am, thank you.” He looked Gabriel over one more time. “Besides, it doesn't look like you're going anywhere tasteful.”  
“Shit, you really need to get out. You've gotten even more boring than last time.”  
“I'm sorry you feel that way.”  
“Come on, Cas, just one night?”  
Cas looked back at the sky, and then back to Gabriel again, making his goggles display static for a moment.  
“Fine, Gabriel.”  
“Yes! Good, we are going to shake off all that dust you've collected sitting up in your room staring at some stupid stars!”  
Cas sighed and took the goggles off. He followed Gabriel back into the bedroom and down the stairs to where some other of his brothers stood dressed in similar grunge style to Gabe. A couple of them looked nervous.   
“You're letting him come out dressed like that?” Balthazar was pointing at him, but locking eyes with Gabe. “He's going to look too out of place, he has to change.”  
“We don't have time for that.” Gabriel stated.   
Cas looked down at his clothes. He wore a white button shirt with a blue sweater pulled over it, and black slacks. He was also wearing slippers.  
“Just lose the sweater.”  
Gabe and Balthazar glanced over at the new comer walking up to them from the front of the group gathered around the front door.   
“You're the last person I expected to see coming with us, Luci.” said Gabe. “What happened to following Daddy's rules?”  
“Father didn't make this rule, Michael did. And I don't plan on following his rules if I don't want to.”  
“So you're being rebellious.”  
“So are you.”  
“No, I'm out to have some fun. You are purposely breaking the rules.”  
Lucifer loomed over him.  
“Are you actually going to argue with me?” His eyes narrowed. Gabe's smile faltered a little bit but he didn't shrink back.  
“No.”  
“Good. We've wasted enough time. Take his sweater off.”  
Cas nodded nervously and pulled the sweater over his head and handed it to Balthazar.  
“I... I don't have shoes on...” He said quietly, afraid to turn his brother's aggression onto him.  
“I have some boots.” declared Balthazar, as he headed to the nearest closet to hide the sweater. “Here.”  
He tossed the sweater away and tossed the boots to Cas in one swift motion. Cas fumbled but managed not to drop them.   
Lucifer had since walked away, but Gabe lingered near where Cas sat down on the stairs to tie the boots.   
“Where are we going?” Cas questioned.  
“There's a nightclub in Sector Eight.”  
“Sector Eight?!” Cas shouted, only to be shushed by a couple of his brothers. He finished with his shoes and stood up. Next to Gabe, he was pretty tall. He was pretty tall normally, but Gabe made him seem even taller.  
The door opened and the group exited onto the night street.  
“Gabriel, you cannot be serious!”  
“What?”  
“Don't play dumb, you know what Sector Eight is! It's crawling with criminals and illegal activities, and not to mention bacteria!”   
Gabriel took off his jacket and handed it to Cas.  
“Then you might want to wear this to cover up your white shirt.”  
Cas sighed and slid into the jacket. He had all sorts of complaints about going into Sector Eight. He had all sorts of complaints about even going into Sector Two. If he never had to leave his comfortable bedroom in Sector One, and could stare up at the clear, well treated sky of his well-to-do neighborhood forever, he would certainly endeavor to do so. It was dangerous to venture into the more poor areas, even if they were only one level below his. He didn't want to risk himself. At this point, however, it looked like he had no choice.

Cas winced as a large, sweaty man bumped into him in the dirty Sector Eight street. He burrowed tighter into Gabriel's jacket, trying not to ruin his white shirt by splashing in the perpetual wetness that was the ground here. He watched his feet, sliding through the muck in Balthazar's boots, so that he wouldn't trip and fall or step on anything he'd regret. He didn't understand why Gabriel and his other brothers would want to come to a place like this. It was disgusting. There was all sorts of trash and waste in the streets. The wetness was certainly not just water. He gradually moved more into the group for protection.   
“Here we are.” Stated Lucifer. The group stopped. Cas read the sign, blinking in neon above his head.   
“The Cavern?” he inquired as most of the others headed inside.  
“Yeah,” said Gabriel. “It's one of the more popular ones, and the music's supposed to be great.”  
“Oh.”   
“Hurry up, it isn't safe to stand alone in the street. I wouldn't want you to get robbed.”  
“By anyone but you.” Cas added following him in.  
“Yes, only I can steal from you.” He smiled.  
Most of the other brothers had dispersed into the crowd, leaving Cas and Gabe to stand alone near the back. The Cavern was an old looking place that was packed almost wall to wall with people in dirty looking clothes- though most clothes outside of the first three sectors looked dirty to Cas- in various states of dress rocking to the music coming from a stage at the other side of the room.   
Cas felt Gabe nudge him and, though he couldn't hear him, he could see him mouthing to move into the crowd when he turned to look at him. Cas wasn't thrilled about sharing a space with these raunchy people, but he was less thrilled about the chance of being robbed or killed in the event he left Gabe. He hesitantly pushed after his brother until he could clearly see the man singing on the stage in front of him. Gabe swayed next to him, unable to dance with anymore moments in the crowd. Cas stayed still and fixed his eyes on the stage. The singer was dressed in a faded leather jacket and dark, ripped jeans. His plain black tee shirt was also ripped in places. A metal amulet hung on a thin leather rope around his neck, moving with him as he sang. He looked like he had been wearing the same clothes for years, and, living in Sector Eight, he probably had. There was a drummer behind him with black hair, and a short haired blonde girl on a guitar to his right. The girl glanced down and seemed to be looking at him. She winked and he blushed and looked back at the singer.   
The singer caught his eye then. His perfectly green eyes locked with Cas's blue ones for a split second and Cas saw a fire in them that he had never seen in the eyes of anyone from Sector One.   
The singer smiled- no smirked- at him and broke the eye contact. Cas stood there and continued to watch him, looking over the way he held the microphone, moved his feet with the rhythm, and the way his mouth formed the words to songs he didn't know but assumed were from an era long passed. This was a man from a world he didn't know, nor did he understand.   
But he wanted to understand. He wanted to know where the fire in this rough, disheveled looking man's eyes came from despite the Sector in which he made his home.

The show ended and Cas and Gabe could see their brothers gathering near the exit. Before he could make his way to them, however, a hand clapped onto Cas's shoulder. He panicked and attempted to recall what he as taught to do in a threatening situation. All thoughts but fear escaped him though, so he just swung around quickly and tried to connect a fist to his so-called assailant’s face. He failed. The man blocked his fist easily, and gently moved it to the side.  
“Whoa, easy now, Buddy.”  
Cas found himself locking eyes once again from the singer.  
“W-what do you want from me?” He stuttered, looking for a person he could rely on if he was actually assaulted.  
Gabe and Balthazar stood by the door watching closely. The others were nowhere in sight.  
“I just want to talk.” The singer raised his hands to show he meant no harm, but with his arms raised, Cas could see the gun on his belt that had been hidden by his leather jacket.  
“About what?” Cas narrowed his eyes, trying not to look as intimidated as he felt.  
“I noticed you from the stage to night. You look different.”  
“I look different? How? Have you seen me before?” Cas became even more nervous.  
“No, no, I mean, you don't look like the other people around here. You stick out in a crowd, even among the people you walked in with. You know, the ones at the door that look ready to try and kick my ass?”  
“Maybe I'm not from around here?”  
“Obviously you aren't or I would've seen you before. Your shirt under that jacket is clean white, and you're wearing dress pants. You might have a dirty jacket and boots on, but they don't really suit you. Your hair looks like it was messed up in a hurry. You seem more like you should be sitting around in a sweater drinking fancy tea than going out to a Sector Eight nightclub.”  
Cas flashed back to Lucifer telling him to lose the sweater.  
“So what? I wanted to come out to see what it was like to do it. Is that not allowed?”  
“Probably not in your sector. I'd throw you in with the higher-ups. Two or Three maybe. Sector One is going out on a limb, but you could. I'd have to see you cleaned up. I bet you'd look hot. I mean... “spiffy.” That's a high sector word right?”  
Cas's cheeks turned different shades of red. He couldn't tell if it was anger over this low-life insulting his lifestyle, or that fact that he said he might look hot. Either way he was flustered.  
“Why don't you leave me alone?” Cas grumbled. “I need to get home. My brothers are waiting.”  
“Tell them to go home, and you stay here, have a drink or two with me.”  
“You insult my home, then expect me to drink with you? Are you insane?”  
“Maybe just a little.” He smirked and Cas's stomach flipped. “I'll make sure you get home safe. I'll personally escort you all the way into Sector Five if you'd like.”  
Cas mentally kicked himself for letting his fascination with his man get the better of him. The kick didn't stop him from nodding and walking over to Gabe and Balthazar, and then telling them to head on home.   
He walked back over to the singer, then they walked to the bar together, which was now clearly visible as the club cleared of the night's patrons.  
“Not that it matters much,” said Cas, “But did you plan on telling me your name? I'd like to know who's treating me.”  
“Ooo you must be a higher-up kind of guy. I don't recall saying that the drinks were on me!”  
“You trash!” Cas hissed. “I don't want to be here, so why would I pay to stay?!”  
“Trash, huh?” the singer looked at him without a readable expression. “It couldn't have been just the idea of a free drink that made you stay with me. I think you clean-cut people in your sanitary technology filled world might be pretty fascinated by the idea of trash.”  
He had seen through Cas again.  
“But, cool your jets, Sector One, I was going to buy your drink.”  
Cas fumed. “My name isn't 'Sector One,' it's Castiel. And I don't recall ever telling you I was from Sector One.”  
“Okay, 'Castiel.' Are you from Sector One?” The singer raised two fingers to the girl at the bar and she set out two beers.  
“I'm not going to tell you that. At least not until you give me your name.”  
“Dean.”  
“Dean.”  
“Yeah, that's what I said.”  
Cas nodded. “Okay fine.” He leaned in closer to Dean and whispered to him. “Yes, I am from Sector One.”  
“I doesn't take a genius to figure that one out, Castiel.” He seemed to stutter over Cas's full name. “And you don't have to whisper. I'm not going to come to your castle in the middle of the night and rob you, either is Jo.” he gestured to the bartender.  
“I don't live in a castle, Dean. I live in a house.”  
“A huge-ass house probably.”  
“Yes, I suppose it is rather large, but-”  
“Do you see what sort of houses are around here? You don't? That's right, there are none. I live in a car, and that's more than most people in Sector Eight have. Dude, you live in a castle.”  
“Did you just pick me out of the crowd to complain about how horrible your life is, maybe beg me to make Sector One do something about it? Because if that's the case, I'm leaving right now.”  
Dean rolled his eyes. “No, Cas, I'm just trying to talk to you.”  
Cas was surprised by the way Dean shortened his name, even though everyone he talked to casually did it. Only his older brothers called him 'Castiel' but still it seemed odd to be called a nickname by this stranger.  
Cas sipped his drink and winced. It was a cheap, awful tasting beer. He set it back down.  
“This is horrible.”  
“You'll have to take me out for some rich-people drinks in your fancy castle sometime then.”  
“Who says I want to see you again?”  
“That twinkle in your eye whenever you experience something new, something that's been a part of my life since I can remember, something that makes you think about the different world outside of Sector One. You're in deep now. You aren't just going to go back to your cozy bed and pretend that this didn't happen.”  
Dean was right. Cas was more than hooked. He would be back. He didn't know when, and he didn't know how, but he would see Dean again.  
“I'll buy you another shitty drink next time, you can tell me about your pampered life.”  
“Why can't I tell you now?”  
“Eager suddenly?” Dean raised an eyebrow and Cas recoiled. Oops. He didn't mean to look eager. “It's late, Cas. You should go back home.” He stood. “C'mon, I'll drive you to Sector Five. You can catch a cab there and get back to Sector Two. From there it's a short walk.”  
“How does someone from Sector Eight know so much about the upper sectors?” Cas questioned as he followed him outside. Why was he doing that? He must be an idiot. He was in the criminal sector, this guy was going to get him comfortable, then take him outside and rob him, or worse. He couldn't help but to trust him. Dean didn't make him nervous. Actually, that was a lie. Dean made him very nervous, but not in a bad way. He was nervous with excitement.  
“My dad.” Dean lead him to an alleyway where what seemed to be a car was parked under a tarp. “He told my brother and me a lot of stuff before he died.”  
“You have a brother?”  
“Why wouldn't I? You think you're the only one with brothers? Or that only upper sector people have families?”  
“No, I- you didn't mention him at all.”  
“He's younger. His name's Sam, he lives in another sector.”  
“Why?”  
“He escaped.”  
“Escaped what?”   
Dean leaned on the car and held his arms out. “This. All of this. The Sector Eight life.”  
“How?”  
Dean sighed. “On the way home.” he said. “Let's get in the car.”  
Cas nodded and Dean pulled the tarp off of his car. It was a very old style black car, though it looked brand new. No wonder he had to hide it. Cas had never seen a car that looked like it. Dean seemed to notice him being befuddled and smiled.  
“My Baby.” Dean said, proudly.  
“What is that?”  
“You like?”  
“I suppose... How old is this car?”  
“She's from 1967.”  
“1967?! How was she not destroyed by now?!”  
“You'd be amazed what you can find in a Sector Eight junk lot. Or at least, what my dad could.”  
“This was your dad's car?”  
“Yep. Okay, get in.” He climbed into the driver's seat. Cas nervously walked around to the passenger seat and also got it.  
“So, what do you want to know about me?” Dean said once the car was started and they were moving out of the alley.  
“Tell me about your brother and your father.”  
“Okay well, my mom died when I was little, so my dad raised us in Sector Eight. He had a job, and that was what killed him.”  
“What was that job?”  
“Nothing. I don't want to go into that particular past.”  
“Oh.”  
“Okay, anyway, he raised Sam and me, and then Sam decided he wasn't into our dad's job, so he just left.”   
Dean crossed the Sector Seven borderline. Cas noticed the area darken without all of Sector Eight's neon lights and whatnot. He was alone in the darkness with Dean now, other than the dashboard lights.  
“He was a smart kid. Still is actually. He wandered into Sector Seven at around sixteen and worked his way into the school system. When he graduated, he got a scholarship to a Sector Three university. He's going to school there right now, probably.”  
“That's amazing.”  
“He's an amazing guy.” Dean smiled to himself. Even in the darkness, Cas could see he looked rather sad though.   
“Are you okay?”  
“I'm fine. I miss him sometimes. He's the only family that I've got.”  
“I understand. Sort of. I lost my father, too.”  
They crossed into Sector Six.  
“He died and left all of those kids alone?”   
“It wouldn't be as bad if he had died. He just left us alone.”  
“He just walked out on you? Did he have a wife?”  
“I don't remember my mother at all. If I had one at all, she feels like a dream.”  
“I remember mine. She was great. But she was killed. That's why we moved to Sector Eight from Five.”  
“Hm?”  
“She was killed in a break-in which ended in an arson. Our house burned down, and we left. My dad took us off to Sector Eight, and I've been there ever since.”  
“Why would he take you there?”  
“Lots of reasons. I can't explain it to you now, were almost there.”  
“Okay.”  
“You have to tell me about your brothers the next time I see you. Just stop by the Cavern, and I'll meet you after the show.”  
They crossed into Sector Five. Dean kept driving though.  
“Okay.” Cas said.  
Dean began to slow the car after driving almost the entire length of Sector Five in dark silence. When he came to a stop, it was near the Sector Four borderline, in front of a still lit house.  
“This is my old house.”  
“It's not burned down...?”  
“No. It was saved and restored. A new family lives there.”  
“It's nice.”  
“It was nicer when mom lived there.”  
“I don't doubt that.”  
“I've kept you long enough. You should get home to bed.”  
“Thank you for the ride, Dean.”  
“Anytime. Night, Cas.”  
“Goodnight.”  
Cas exited the car and stood on the side of the road as Dean pulled around and did a U-turn in the almost empty street. He stood and watched until the car was out of sight, her clean, black paint job reflecting all of the night stars, and then he felt whole, more whole than sitting up on his balcony staring up at them. He didn't fell like he was watching the stars from down below anymore. He felt like he was part of them. He had touched the stars, and his night sky was now driving down the dark Sector Five street housed by a 1967 Chevrolet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if it makes sense to describe the sectors somewhere outside of the story, but they are pretty straight forward

“Another bank robbery?” Anna announced through a mouthful of cereal from her spot on the sofa in front of the television. “This is the third one this week!”  
“Mrfle?” Cas muttered. Anna turned to see him leaning on his hand, barely supporting his head, half asleep.  
“Cas, what's wrong?” She asked after chewing and swallowing.  
“Tired...” He muttered.  
“Are you having sleeping trouble?” Michael asked sternly, sitting down at the dinning room table next to him. “We can take you for medical attention right away if you feel like you need it.”  
“I'm fine, Dad!” Cas grumbled. He closed his eyes over his cereal until he felt the eyes of his siblings burning into him.  
“What was that?” questioned Gabe. “Did you just call him “Dad”? I think I heard that.” He smirked.  
Cas looked around nervously before standing quickly up from the table.  
“I'm just really tired, and that's all.” He said quickly before rushing back to his room.  
“It isn't a big deal!” Michael shouted after him, only to be cut off by the slamming door. “Gabriel, you offended him, again.”

Cas slumped down on his balcony and stared up at the morning sky. The clouds floated overhead, fluffy and light. He wished he could float away too. He wanted to float all the way to Sector Eight and not leave Dean again. Maybe Dean would let him sleep in the Impala, because he certainly hadn't been sleeping lately. He had snuck out to the Cavern every night since he met Dean, and that was almost two weeks ago. He was used to the muck and grime of Sector Eight. So used to it, in fact, that the sterile calm of Sector One no longer suited him. He couldn't wait to leave each night. He regretted the time when he had to leave Dean and come back to his house. He would strip off the dirty clothes that he had bought and quickly shower in his own private bathroom- for which he was now extremely grateful- and throw on his pajamas. If sneaking in late wasn't bad enough, he barely slept when he was in bed. He would lay awake thinking about Dean, and it seemed by the time he fell asleep, his alarm clock was screaming at him.   
“Hey Cassie, I didn't mean to offend you.”  
Cas jumped as Gabe entered the balcony otherwise unannounced.   
“No, that's okay. I just haven't been myself lately.”  
“Dammit, I traumatized you by taking you to Sector Eight, didn't I?”  
“It isn't that, really.”  
“Then what is it?”  
“Nothing.”  
Gabe scoffed. “You know, I pay attention to you, Cas. You haven't been right.”  
“I just had a couple bad nights of sleep.”  
“But why? You called Michael “Dad.” Are you missing Dad?”  
Cas shook his head. “I barely remember him leaving anymore. I don't have a problem like that. I just want to look at the sky.”  
“You and your sky. What is it with looking up?”  
“Maybe it's more positive that what I see around me.”  
“Huh?”  
“Haven't you noticed Sector One lately? The government is starting to put out stricter laws because of all these robberies, or at least they say they are. They're taxing the lower sectors harder and harder, and that money isn't replacing the stolen money in the banks. There's been a decrease in community projects, also.”  
“You can't tell me you're losing sleep over Sector Politics.”  
“No, I'm just expressing a concern. There's an increase in crime in sectors farther from Eight, now too.”  
“It's those bank robbers. Always the same group. They call themselves Free Will, but the government calls them trouble. To be completely honest with you, I hope they don't catch them.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because it makes boring life here more fun. Even if there's not crime in Sector One, it's got the government on edge. It gives me something to think about.”  
“You think bank robberies and the vandalizing of government offices is fun?”  
“Yeah, kinda. Don't be so stiff, Cassie. I'm not saying we should all go out and rob a bank, but you're right about the government overstepping its boundaries. Maybe “Team Free Will” or whatever can knock out some of those corrupt dickwads trying to run us.”  
“By robbing banks?”  
“By spreading confusion!”  
Cas shrugged. “I guess so.”  
“Either way, come down and finish breakfast. I need you to show Michael that you don't hate me so he doesn't kick me out.”  
Cas nodded and stood up, still drowsy. He and Gabe joined the others downstairs where he proceeded to go through the motions of eating a bowl of cereal.

“Are they suspicious of you?” Dean asked from the driver's seat of his car. Cas sat in the passenger seat leaning back almost asleep. They were in the very farthest corner of Sector Eight, parked in a clearing and staring up at the night sky through the windshield.   
“Not yet, I don't think. Gabe was worried that I miss our dad, but they don't seem to know I'm sneaking out.”  
“Why don't you just disappear?”  
“Excuse me?”  
“Sneak out one night and just don't go back. Stay here with me. It would be fun to have a friend who I don't have to worry about stealing my stuff.”  
“Do your other friends do that?”  
“If they're hungry enough they do.”  
“I can't leave my family though. I have a duty to them.”  
“What, to sit in your room and never talk to them, maybe have the occasional family meal?”  
“Family is important in Sector One. I love my family.”  
“Family is important in every sector, even if all of mine is gone or dead.”  
“I'm sorry.”  
“Don't be. I understand how you feel. It was just a suggestion.”  
“Okay.”  
“Why don't you just try to sleep right now? You look tired as Hell and that's not healthy.”  
“I barely get to see you, how can I sleep?”  
“Are you worried I'll eat you in your sleep?”  
“No, I'll just lose time with you.”  
“I'll always be here. You won't though, if you keep not sleeping.”  
Cas sighed and leaned further back onto the seat. “Fine, but you had better still be here when I get up.”  
“Promise.” Dean crossed his heart, albeit a little over-dramatically.   
Cas had fallen into a deep sleep. It was the best sleep he'd had in the last two weeks, and when he woke up, Dean was still there, watching him from the driver's seat. They sat on the Sector Four border, still in Five, the same place that Dean would leave him every night.  
“Is it time to go?” Cas asked.   
“I'm afraid so.”  
“I guess I have to then.”  
“Yup. Get some more sleep. I don't want you to be tired and suspicious anymore.”  
Cas chuckled and got out of the car. “I'll do that.”  
“Good boy.” Dean grabbed his hand through the open window and shook it. See you soon, Buddy.”  
With that, he was gone, speeding down the dark street. Cas watched him go until he was gone, then turned around for home. 

He wasn't as tired when he got up the next morning. He sat down at the television next to Raphael and tuned into the news. There was nothing about any bank robbing that morning. Gabe must be disappointed.   
“Better morning, Castiel?” Anna leaned over the back of the sofa.  
“Yes. I had more sleep.”  
“Mm-hm.”  
“Any plans for today?” He asked.  
“There's an event at the government building today.” Raphael chimed in. “The four oldest of us are attending.”   
Cas noticed that he, Michael, Lucifer, and Gabe were dressed more formally than usual. Gabe looked extremely displeased.  
“What is it?”  
“I don't know. An emergency meeting.”   
“Probably just about all the robberies.” Gabe said.  
“Well, good luck.” Cas responded.   
“I'll need it to not die of boredom.” Gabe whined. “I hate government meetings. I don't want to work for the government!”  
“As the fourth in line, you have to be there in consideration that your services could possibly be required.” Michael stated entering the living room.  
“What should we do?” Anna asked.  
“Whatever you normally do.” Michael turned to go outside.  
Anna seemed annoyed, as if she wanted to go to. Cas had no interest in what she wanted, though. He stood up from the sofa and left the room. He ascended the stairs and returned to his bedroom. He took to the balcony again, and from there watched his older brothers leave the driveway in one of the family cars.   
The compact, electric cars that everyone in Sector One drove had been starting to get on his nerves lately. They all had a perpetual new car smell that never seemed to fade. His family owned four of these cars. He rarely drove anywhere, however. Sector One was a small sector and everything was close by. You could walk to any location, including the government building. Most people walked or rode bikes. Even so, there were at least two cars in every driveway. Cas had never found this odd until being exposed to other sectors. Now, he found it wasteful. He had come to realize that Sector One was extremely wasteful, inhabited only by residents who liked to spend loads of money on pointless things like expensive cars.   
He sighed and stood up. He didn't want to look out during the day. Upon returning inside, he found Anna sitting on his bed.  
“What do you want?” He asked.  
“Jeez, don't be so hostile. A couple of us are going to go down to the shopping center. Do you want to come, or are you going to stare at clouds all day?”  
“Come to the shopping center?” Cas considered all of the overpriced things they sold and all the people that were extravagant enough to buy them. He had never liked the shopping center much, but now he liked it even less.  
“Yes, some of us will walk there.”  
“Fine.” He said despite himself.   
“Right, meet me downstairs.”  
With that, Anna left. Cas looked around the room, then down at himself. He was in a grey button-down shirt and black trousers. These clothes would be appropriate for walking around Sector One's center. He might even want to put on a vest or a coat. Either way, he was also wearing his bedroom slippers. He kicked them off and quickly looked around for something else to wear. The first thing he saw was Balthazar's boots that he had been wearing to Sector Eight each night, shoved into the back of his closet with the clothes that he and Dean brought together in a second hand shop on one of his visits.  
He and Dean had been spending time between shows together now. Cas thought back to all the things they had done in the time since they met. He had lived more in those two weeks than in the rest of his life. At this point, he felt weird to be going out of his house dressed in anything but the shabby outfit hidden in his closet.   
He grabbed a pair of white sneakers and slipped them on. He grabbed a jacket on his way out of the room and walked downstairs to find some of the others waiting for him, including Anna and Balthazar, and two others.  
“What's the plan?” He said coming to a stop.   
“There isn't a plan.” said Balthazar.  
“Oh.”  
“Not as exciting as our last outing, sorry.”  
Cas shot him a look of warning, as the others with them had not gone on the previous outing.   
“Don't look at me like that, Cassie.”  
Cas continued to look at him like that.  
“Stop.”  
“No.”  
“Stop it.”  
“What are you too doing?” Anna interjected. “Do you have a secret you need to tell me?”  
“No.” Cas said, stopping his looks and turning to her. “Balthazar is teasing me.”  
“Is he?” She poked him. “Stop teasing him.”  
“Can we leave now?” The shorter boy standing in the doorway said.  
“Yep.” She said matter-of-factually and pushed the younger brother outside. The remaining three followed.

Cas pushed his way through the revolving doors of the shopping center. It was a humongous building with mostly white tiles and glass windows for a ceiling. There were escalators in the middle of the room with fountains on either side. Off to one side, there was also a lift, surrounded by a clean glass tube that looked out over the whole center. The whole building was clean and almost glowed in the late morning sun that shined through the window-ceiling.   
Anna lead them off to a store, Balthazar looking very displeased at her choice, the others following quietly behind them. Cas also followed quietly. He stared around at the store's nice, stylish clothing. There was nothing interesting. Everything sold in this store was extremely uniform and similar. He assumed that most stores would have the similar semi-formal styles that he saw here. They would have better luck in Sector Two or Three if they wanted something that was actually interesting. They didn't though. No other Sector One resident did, but him. Cas was alone in his sudden desire for excitement. Even his other brothers that had snuck out with him on the first night, practically dragging him out the door, seemed content, like the night's experience was nothing to even think about again. He couldn't help but to wonder if they had done that before.  
“What do you think of this one, Cas?”  
Cas was knocked from his thoughts by the girl in front of him holding up a black and white dress to her front.  
“It's very nice.” He said, though he didn't really see a difference between it and any other dress she could have taken off a rack.  
“Should I get it?” Before Cas could respond, Balthazar appeared from behind the rack.  
“Yes, hurry up because this store is a waste.” he said. She stared at him until he raised his eyebrows. She nodded and shuffled to the front counter.  
“What's wrong, Cassie? I thought you had a real dedication to sweater-vests.”  
“I have plenty sweater-vests, Balthazar.” His brother made a face and Cas continued. “I don't want to look at clothing.”  
“What do you want to look at? Oh, wait, let me guess. Stars?”  
“Or just another store.”  
“I'm with you there.”   
Cas would have figured. Even with the general dress of the people of Sector One, a few of his brothers were in a constant state of casual dress. Balthazar was one of them. He wore regular jeans, ones that the older brothers would accept, but nothing to fancy, and any one of numerous plain v-neck tee shirts. Cas didn't know how he got away with it with all of their older brothers' strict rules.   
The others were walking away now and Cas followed them out of the store. They didn't go into any others for some time. The majority of stores were clothing, very similar clothing to the first store. There was no point in coming here.   
Something caught his eye as he walked by. It was a different sort of store. The store had a sign on the front with a puppy and a kitten next to the letters. It was a pet store with glass windows on the front. The windows contained puppies of all fur colours, hopping around and making small, whimpering barks. He stopped by the window.  
“Like the doggies, Cas?” Balthazar stood by where Cas had squatted next to the window.  
“I- yes.”  
The other three members of the group looked overjoyed to be looking at cute baby animals, and walked inside.   
Cas watched the dogs for a while before one bounded up bravely to the glass. He stared up at Cas with big, green eyes. His light brown fur was ruffled and messy. He looked more scruffy than the other well groomed puppies in the glass window.   
“Dean...”  
“Hm?” Balthazar glanced down at him. “What was that?”  
“Oh, nothing. Um- green. He has green eyes.”  
“Yeah, he does.”  
Cas stared back into the puppies eyes and thought about sneaking out again tonight to see Dean again. He would have some stuff to tell him today, like about how boring life is in his sector. He looked forward to his nightly dose of excitement. 

Balthazar seemed to sense that his brother was no longer interested in shopping and suggested taking him home early. The others stayed at the shopping center. Cas was pleased to walk home.  
“Okay, so what is your problem?”  
Cas squinted at him. “What do you mean?”  
“You have been acting very out of character lately, and I want to know why.”  
“I haven't.”  
“You have.”  
“There isn't anything wrong with me.”  
“That is exactly what something with something wrong with them would say.”  
“Or something with nothing wrong.”  
Balthazar rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine, don't confide in me then.” He turned the corner onto the street where their house was located.   
“I'm sorry if I've offended you.”  
“You haven't.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“We're all just worried about you. And I'm not going to pry or anything, but I think Michael thinks there's something wrong with you.”  
“There's nothing wrong with me, Michael’s concerns are unfounded.”  
They stepped into the driveway as the sun started to go down. The brilliant orange light lit up the white houses, making them glow.   
“If you say so.” Balthazar walked into the house and shut the door. Cas stood on the porch and sighed. He took another look around the neighborhood before going inside. Balthazar had already sat down in the living room. Cas took it as him not wanting to talk anymore and headed upstairs. He knew his brother was still suspicious. He pretended to not care.   
Cas laid down on the bed, kicking his shoes off. He thought about the puppy. He knew he wouldn't be allowed to get a dog, but it was nice to think about having one. He was sick of rules and being told what to do by his family. Maybe that was what he liked about Sector Eight. In Sector Eight, he had no family. No one told him what to do. Dean gave him suggestions of what to do, but that was so he didn't wind up dead in the street. He appreciated that.   
His eyes rested on the ceiling until they slowly closed. He slipped off to sleep with is mind on dogs and sneaking out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters get shorter and shorter every time... I'll probably have some longer ones, but this just seemed like the proper place to stop.

Cas was running late that night. He had slept later after the day's trip than he had meant to. He quickly changed out of his clothing and into the dirtier clothes that he wore out at night. He had a tee shirt that, though it lacked any major holes, was dirty looking and wearing thin. He tossed a semi-long jacket that was made of a thick fabric over that and even pulled on some fingerless gloves for good measure. He stumbled about his bedroom, trying to keep quiet. It was very late at this point, and everyone would be asleep. He should be asleep as well, and the slightest commotion could screw him over.  
He stepped outside onto the balcony. The cool air of the night blew his hair, though short, around and felt fresher than inside. One think that he preferred about Sector One was the breathable air. As much as he loved Sector Eight as even a second home now, he had yet to get used to the different breathing that the thick, smokey air forced onto a person.  
Once he shut the bedroom door, he laced Balthazar's boots over the ripped jeans that were a size too large and held at his hips by a leather belt. He climbed carefully over the railing and gripped the nearest tree branch. He gave it a few shakes to test its stability before putting his weight onto it. He clutched the tree and held on in the best way he could. He scaled down the tree to land on the soft, well-manicured grass beneath it.  
He glanced around at the street nearby. No one was around. He was all by himself in a town of almost identical white mansions. A fake, dishonest town of clean paper cut-outs. He didn't take a lot of time to consider these mansions, though. He took off running in the opposite direction and didn't slow until he reached Sector Two, then set off at a brisk walk the rest of the way.  
The walk seemed shorter and shorter every time. He got to Sector Eight in what seemed like no time at all. He was used to the shady people around by now. None of them so much as even gave him a passing glance, other than the occasional woman, checking to see if he looked promising.  
Dean was usually waiting for him at the front entrance to the Cavern. They would chat about the day for a few minutes before heading in to let Dean take the stage. To Cas's surprise, he was not there tonight. Cas had been running late, but he hadn't been running that late. Even so, he figured Dean couldn't wait for him and went inside to start the show. Cas shrugged it off and entered the building.  
Dean was not on the stage however. There was no one on the stage. The speakers were blasting the same sort of music that Dean and his band-mates played, but it had a sort of tininess that set obsolete speakers apart from live music. He was confused by this, but entered further into the club anyway. He approached the bar. Jo was absent as well. Another woman with long dark hair had taken her place. He had seen her before and recognized her to be Ruby, though he had never talked to her before.  
“What'll it be?” Ruby asked him.  
“Nothing actually” he responded, earning an odd look before adding, “I just have some questions.”  
“Shoot.” she said.  
“Where are all the normal workers? The band is gone, the usual bartender?”  
“They never showed up for work. Meg called a while ago and said they'd be late, but the night is almost over at this point. I don't think they're coming.”  
“Did Meg say where they were?” Cas pressed.  
“Nope.”  
“I think I'll wait a while, anyway.” Cas decided, leaning his back against the bar while still looking at Ruby.”  
“Do you want anything then?”  
“No.”  
She gave him an exasperated glance before turning away. 

Dean never showed up. There was no sign of him, or the band, or any of the regular staff. It was like they had all gone missing. Cas sadly slipped off the ripped up bar stool and headed for the door. Ruby emotionlessly watched him go. She said nothing and he had nothing to say to her in the first place. He wandered out into the night, the stars overhead staring down at him with the same sadness and worry that he felt.  
He was mostly alone in the street this time of night. The occasional person sat harmlessly on the sidewalk- if you could call it that for all its cracks and broken pieces- but for the most part the neon city was empty. Most people had chosen their club for the night and wouldn't emerge until the doors were locked in the morning light. That, or they had already crawled back into their holes to wait out the day. At least that was what Dean had told him. It seemed accurate that no one would be out at this time and he would have to the whole street to himself to retreat home.  
At least he thought it was. A man was heading his way, walking with a slight limp. The man was alone, and just a slight bit taller than Cas. Cas felt fear spread through his body. He looked about for somewhere to run to, a hiding spot. He could see himself killed this night. This was it. He was going to die in Sector Eight because he misjudged his level of safety. He was going to be found in the criminal sector and become a disgrace to the family.  
“Cas?”  
All the fear stopped then as the man stopped under a flickering neon sign to stare back at him. Cas could just make out Dean's features, and the shape of his hair. His green eyes glinted once when the neon light hit them in just the right way.  
“Dean!” He rushed toward Dean, kicking up a bit of a splash in some puddles.  
Without thinking, he tossed his arms around Dean's neck and held him tightly. Dean seemed to shrink away under the weight, as if in pain.  
“O-ow Cas, what are you doing?”  
Cas came to his senses and released him. He stared at Dean under the blue and pink light from the sign and a million questions flooded his mind but he was unable to form any of them into words, and said nothing until Dean was waving a hand in front of his face and saying his name.  
“What's wrong?” Cas muttered.  
“Cut my leg, it's okay.”  
Cas looked down at Dean's leg. There was a tear in his jeans and through it Cas could see that an off-white fabric was wrapped around Dean's leg. Even so, there was a red stain on it.  
“How did you do that?!” Cas panicked.  
“Just cut it working. It'll heal.”  
“What were you doing?” Cas demanded. In all the time that they had been together, Dean had never told Cas what his work was. Cas knew that it was part time work, and other band members, such as Meg, where also involved, but none of them had given Cas a straight answer. When he found he wouldn't get one from Dean, he had moved on. No member seemed interested in confiding in him. Even Meg, who he found was a good friend to him and somewhat trustworthy, would not tell him what Dean did in his daytimes. He was frustrated by this.  
“Just work.”  
“Dammit, Dean!” Cas shouted. Dean recoiled in surprise. “You are always so sketchy about your life. I put up with it up until now, but I can't take it anymore. You come back to me hurt and then don't tell me what you've been doing?! How do you expect me to not want to know, and to not care?!”  
“I-I, can't Cas-” Dean was stuttering over his words and stilling looking at Cas with a shocked, almost fearful expression.  
“I care about you, Dean!” Cas interrupted him. “More than anyone I've ever cared about! I leave my family every night to see you! I sneak out of my house, risking not only being in trouble with my brother, but risking his reputation and, even though I couldn't care less about that anymore, that would bring his wrath down on me! I risk my life for you by even coming to this damn, dirty place!”  
“Cas I-”  
“Shut up! I don't want excuses, I want the truth from you! Shit, I am in love with you and I want to know what happened that made your leg bleed!”  
Cas panted and Dean stared for a moment while he- while both of them- registered what Cas had said.  
“Cas.”  
Cas stared at him open mouthed as his sense returned.  
“I didn't mean to say-”  
“You did though.”  
Cas turned to run away, back home he figured. He had ruined it. He had laid the truth on his best friend and had complicated their entire friendship. He was mad, mad at Dean for never being clear, but mostly mad at himself for blurting out his feelings so openly and loudly.  
He didn't get a chance to run, though. Dean grabbed his wrist and “wait” seemed to tumble out of his mouth without his brain giving it permission to leave his lips. Dean's grip was firm and Cas was pulled around to stare into the burning green eyes again.  
Dean stared at him with what was not anger, or fear, or even any sign of being uncomfortable. It was what seemed to be consideration.  
Cas was about to ask what he was doing when he was pulled roughly closer to Dean by Dean's other arm grabbing Cas's upper arm as tightly as his wrist. The arm on his wrist found its was to his lower back and then he was being kissed.  
Dean's lips were pressed firmly though awkwardly against his own. They were softer than he would have expected. Cas tried to quickly work through the shock and eventually was able to return the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Dean's back and kissed him under that neon sign. Dean started to bite at Cas's lower lip and Cas didn't bother to fight with him, parting is lips for him. He was pulled closer than he had been to another person and he enjoyed it, regardless of the worry and anger he had just been feeling. Dean broke away first and stared at him again.  
Cas's blue eyes were wide and full of disbelief when the moment of pleasure ended and he stared for a brief moment before turning again. This time, Dean didn't stop him from running. He took off into Sector Seven, into the darkness.

Cas made it back to Sector One out of breath. He huffed next to the tree until he could breathe enough to make the attempt to get back inside of his house. He tried to climb back up the tree, but fell onto his back with a thud and a groan. He quickly collected himself and scaled the tree on the second try, but once in the branches, he could see that an upstairs light was turned on. He knew this to be the light of Michael’s bedroom. His brother was up and he was going to come down on him if he saw that he had been out. He stepped onto the balcony and quickly removed the boots, hoping to get into his bathroom before anyone could see him sneak in, but he was out of luck.  
When he opened the door to his bedroom, Michael was standing there waiting.  
“Been out, Castiel?” his brother questioned.  
Cas frantically tried to come up with some explanation, but every mental road lead to failure. He stared at his feet in his grey socks against the ivory carpet of his bedroom.  
“I have.”  
Michael was looking him over.  
“Where could you have gone in that sort of dress?”  
“To see a band.” Cas decided that he didn't have to tell Michael everything that he had been up to.  
“Where?”  
“Sector Eight.”  
“Sector Eight! Castiel, you know what is in Sector Eight! Do you know what this could do to us if the Government found out that a member of my family was out in the middle of the night in some Sector Eight nightclub?! I am a highly respected member of the Staff, Castiel, or did you forget that?” He knew it. Cas had known that Michael’s own Government position was what he actually cared about. He didn't really care that Cas had been out somewhere dangerous, he just didn't want it to get out.  
“No, Michael. I'm sorry.” Cas said, though he really wasn't sorry. He just needed Michael to hear what he wanted to and leave him alone with his jumbled thoughts.  
“You aren't sorry, Castiel. You never were.” He scoffed. Had Cas really been that obvious? Oh well, Cas didn't care about that either.  
“What do you want from me then?” Cas looked up at him defiantly.  
“I want you too stop being a disgrace to everything I have worked so hard for and do as you're told!”  
Cas flinched and Michael lowered his voice.  
“I worry about you, brother. I don't want to see you killed or even injured. Just because you think it's 'fun' to be out running around with dangerous people late at night doesn't mean that it's a good idea. I want to see you in your home, safe from the dangers outside of Sector One.” Cas snorted.  
“Maybe the danger lies inside of Sector One.”  
“What do you mean by that?” Michael narrowed his eyes.  
“Nothing.” Cas muttered, looking down again.  
“You need to be more obedient to the rules that I have laid down. I know that I can't replace Father, but I'm the oldest and I have your best interests at heart.”  
“I don't think you do.”  
“Hm?”  
“I think you only have your own interests at heart.” Cas snapped while still looking down. “This is why Dad liked Lucifer better.”  
Michael advanced on him. “Don't you ever say that to me, don't you dare.”  
“It's true.”  
Michael didn't try to argue anymore. He simply said, “No more.”  
Cas looked at him to see that he had backed away now. “What?”  
“No more of this sneaking out. I forbid you to leave the house unless someone else is with you.”  
Cas wanted to argue, but didn't have the strength. He simply nodded. Michael turned and stomped out of the room, not very loudly in his slippers against the plush carpet, and shut the door behind him.  
Cas opened the closet and stuffed the boots inside, followed by each article of clothing that he removed. He walked over to the bed in just his boxers and found his pajamas folded neatly as he had left them.  
After putting the pajamas on, he walked in to the bathroom and tried to brush his teeth. He held the toothbrush in his hand and stared at himself in the mirror until and strong sense of self washed over him and he broke down.  
His head was a rush of emotions. Emotions about Dean- uncertainty mostly- and now emotions over what his brother had said to him, and what he had said in return. He knew that he was wrong to talk back to his brother, but he couldn't help it. His time in Sector Eight had shown him the corruption right before his eyes, and Michael was stuck in the middle of it. He didn't know if Michael was corrupt like the others of the Government, or if he simply was a villain by association. Whatever the case, his brother did seem to still care about him at least a little bit, however unjust the punishment he laid down seemed to Cas.  
He was angry mostly about what Michael had decided. He really wanted to see Dean again. He wanted the time to clear his head of the night's events leading to his imprisonment, and then to take the trip back to Sector Eight to really talk with Dean. He didn't know what he would say to Dean when he got there. He needed some time, but now it looked like he had forever.  
He also realized that he had never gotten his answer from Dean about the cause of his injury. He had been distracted by the fact that he vomited words and feelings for all the world to see. It seemed unimportant now where Dean had gotten the injury and more important that he was okay, and even shared the feelings that had been stirring inside of Cas for a while now.  
The pleasant feeling of the person the he loved returning his feelings, however, was burred under the feeling that he may never see this person again, and that he would never know what it was that Dean did when he wasn't with him or on stage. He had so many questions for Dean that would go unanswered for who knows how long now.  
Cas wiped his eyes on his pajama sleeve and set the toothbrush he was still gripping tightly down on the bathroom counter. He rolled up his sleeves and splashed cold water onto his face until he could focus on the present enough to put toothpaste on the brush and brush his teeth. He was tired despite all the emotion he felt. I figured it wouldn't be a crime to wait until tomorrow to take a shower. He rinsed the toothbrush off quickly and shoved it away. He stared at himself in the mirror a few moments more before leaving the bathroom and getting into bed.  
He pulled the covers up and tried to sleep, but for all his tiredness, he could not. His mind was whirling, coming up with different ideas. Some were positive outcomes that could happen to him, others were negative downward spirals that could only get worse and worse. He thought through escape plans and battle plans, never really coming up with anything promising. There was always a damn problem with any idea that he came up with. He eventually lost interest in plans; that, and he was slowly getting sleepier. He didn't cry again after the time in the bathroom, but he was overwhelmingly sad right before he finally managed to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Cas couldn't remember what he had been dreaming about, but he woke up in a cold sweat. He sat up quickly in bed and stared around the room. Light filled his bedroom now, and a glance at the clock on the wall told him that it was just past noon. He didn't like to sleep so late normally.  
He dragged himself out of bed and to the bathroom, slowly pulling off his sweaty pajamas as he went. He ran the shower and stepped into it. He took a cold shower, during which he stared at the wall and worried what Dean would think when he didn't come back. Dean might not worry about one day, maybe assuming Cas had to clear his head after the previous night, but more than one he would worry. Would he come looking for him? Would he assume that he had scared Cas away? Cas fretted while he washed his hair and body, and continued to fret while drying off. He continued to move slowly after he got out. He dressed and walked downstairs.  
Michael eyed him as he cut through the kitchen to get to the family room. Cas ignored him though and didn't bother to catch is glance. He continued out to the sofa where Balthazar was laying face-down in front of the television. He was taking up the whole sofa, so Cas lifted Balthazar's lower legs by the ankle and sat down, then placed Balthazar's legs onto his lap. He didn't mind them as long as he had somewhere to sit and watch the news. Balthazar groaned into the cushion and pulled his face further into it. Cas figured he was hungover, though he hadn't seen him go out again last night. He also wondered why Michael didn't get angry at him for going out at night. He had probably given up on him by now.   
Cas turned his attention to the news. There was a story about how the July was going to be somewhat cooler than last year, if the current weather was any indication, and how residents should still use sunblock or carry a parasol. Cas didn't have the emotional strength to be pleased that next month would be tolerable. It didn't really matter if he was stuck in the house anyway.  
“Anything interesting?”  
Cas looked next to him to see Gabriel sit down on the arm of the chair.   
“Michael is going to yell at you for sitting there.” Cas said.  
“I sit where ever I want to.” Gabriel said.  
Cas shook his head and turned back to the television. “No, to answer your question. There's nothing interesting.”  
“I heard there was a robbery last night.”  
Cas didn't perk up, though he was interested. “Where?”  
“Sector two. The story will probably pop up soon.”  
“This gang is getting more cocky.”  
“Maybe they'll hit Sector One. You scared?”  
Cas ignored him and stared at the obnoxiously large flat screen television mounted on the wall. There were advertizements playing now. When those ended, sports news started. Gabe was talking, but Cas was still ignoring him. He was watching unhappily, waiting for news of this robbery.  
“Listen, Cas, you can't mope forever. Why did you sneak out anyway?”  
Cas still didn't respond. Gabe leaned closer.  
“You shouldn't have gone out without telling me. I could have snuck you into my room.”  
“It's too late for that, Gabriel.”  
The news flashed back to recent stories and Cas and Gabe turned quickly to the television. There was a story about some feral dogs in Sector Six, then the Sector Two robbery story.  
“This is it!” said Gabe excitedly.   
“If you get anymore excited about these crimes, people are going to think you're pulling them.”  
“Maybe I am.” Gabe winked at him. Cas rolled his eyes.  
Sector Two had the largest bank building in all of the sectors. Technically, Sector One had the largest, but it was a branch of the Government building, and wasn't counted as a “bank.” Sector Two's bank was considered one of the most well guarded. Cas was amazed that anyone could break in and rob it.  
The story talked about how even though the robbers got into the building undetected, they didn't get out, and the police came to the scene. The robbers ended up holding the bank up, demanding a safe exit from the bank, or they would kill everyone inside.  
They were in the midst of negotiating via phone when one of the bank workers pulled out a box cutter and drove it into the gang leader's leg. One of the other members shot the man in the arm. The man was not fatally wounded. After he was stabbed, another member took over the phone and get them out safely.  
Gabriel watched on the edge of his seat as they showed the footage of the worker clutching his wounded arm and the leader pulling the box cutter from his leg. To Cas, he seemed to get upset that his fellow gang member would shoot the man. He yelled something at the member- a blonde woman from the looks of her- and then handed the phone to another man. When the leader turned to a third unseen member, Cas could see his eyes through the mask. They were green and tinged with a bit of pain, but mostly annoyance.   
Cas sucked in air quickly between his teeth as he caught a better glimpse of them. They had a fire in them that he knew all too well. He wasn't sure, but he was starting to think, to suspect.   
“Cas, you okay?” Gabe looked at him.  
“Perfectly fine.” Cas muttered, hoping that Gabe would take his half-hearted response as just a continuation of his moping.  
The news ended and an afternoon soap opera started. Cas stood up rapidly, the sudden movement jostling both Gabe and Balthazar, and walked out of the room. He passed Michael again, but didn't even look to see if the older brother was watching him.   
Cas rushed up the stairs and onto the balcony. He sat down on the light brown wood and pulled his knees to his chest. It wasn't Dean, he tried to force himself to think. It was just a coincidence that he had eyes like Dean's.   
Then he remembered Dean's injury from last night. It was on his leg, right where the bank worker had stabbed the gang leader in the news story. That couldn't be a coincidence as well. Or maybe it could. Cas wanted it to be. He didn't want the person that he was in love with to be the a dangerous criminal. So what if he was from Sector Eight, that didn't mean he had to be a bad guy. All signs lead to it though, everything pointed to Dean Winchester being the leader of the infamous gang of bank robbers.  
Something about it made sense to Cas though. He could now understand why Dean wouldn't talk to him about his “work.” In that case, it must have been his father's work too. He could see what made Dean's brother leave. He was relieved in the tiniest way to have that knowledge finally, but he was upset about the answer he had wanted for so long. He hadn't wanted this. Not at all.  
Cas heard the door to his balcony shut. Gabe had followed him up.  
“Cas, I demand that you tell me what the Hell is wrong with you right now.”  
“Everything is okay, Gabriel, go away.”  
Gabe plopped down next to him on the wood floor. “Nope. Spill the details, and then I'll go.”   
Cas let out a groan and spun to glare at Gabe. His older brother eyed him with such pity, however, that he couldn't spit out the insults he was already forming in his mind. He instead said, “Fine. I'll tell you.”  
Gabe looked at him anxiously. “Seriously, what happened to you?”  
“I fell in love.”  
“In Sector Eight? With who? Is she hot?”  
Cas realized then that he hadn't considered telling his brother that he was in love with a man. Gabe was accepting enough of things, but what if it got back to the other brothers? He doubted that Michael would approve, Sector Eight or otherwise.  
“Do you remember the band at the Cavern when we went together?”  
“Yeah?”  
“It's the singer.”  
“The singer? That guy in the torn up clothes and the leather jacket?”  
“Yes...” Cas mumbled.  
“Okay, so what, did you let him-” Gabe wiggled an eyebrow, “Do stuff?”  
“He kissed me last night.”  
Gabe looked disappointed. “Oh.” He leaned in closer. “Tongue or no?”  
Cas pushed him away. “None of your business.”  
“I'm just kidding.” Gabe leaned back on his hands. Cas didn't doubt he was kidding. Unlike Balthazar, who would have pushed him for all the gory details, Gabe seemed content knowing that his brother was less boring than previously thought.   
“I've been going every night to see him. I only just told him how I feel, and now I'll never see him again.”  
“You'll see him again.” Gabe stated.  
“What makes you so sure?”  
“'Cuz I'm gonna sneak you back to Sector Eight.”  
“You can't do that, Michael will find out!”  
“Michael's not as scary as he seems to be, Cas. I can handle him.”  
“He's almost killed you about four times, Gabriel.”  
“Yeah, and Lucifer has impaled me with a kitchen knife. Oh, don't forget the time Balthazar almost drowned me in the pool. I get kicked around quite a bit. Michael is soft on you. If I tried something like this, he'd hit me. Probably break my nose again.”  
“I'm sorry.”  
“Don't be. My point here is that I'm not scared of him. If you get in trouble, I'll get you out of it.”  
“Are you going to take me out to see Dean tonight then?”  
“Jeez, no Cas. Wow you certainly bounce back.”  
“I-Im sorry.”  
“No, Cas, we need a couple days. The longer you lay low, the less angry Michael will be, then the less he'll be watching, get me?”  
“Oh.”  
“'Oh'” Gabe mocked. “This is why you need me around.” He patted Cas's hair and stood up. “Just last a couple days.” He repeated as he went back inside, leaving Cas to sit with his knees curled up and feel grateful.

The rest of the day passed slowly, and by nightfall Cas was still on his balcony. He had pulled out his stargazing goggles and tablet and was looking at the sky. He hadn't actually done that since before he went to Sector Eight for the first time. He was anxious, but he found that writing notes about the sky calmed him down a little bit. He wondered if Dean was looking at the stars and waiting for him to show up. It made him sad to think about how Dean would feel when he didn't.   
He tried to push thoughts like that out of his mind as he scribbled on the tablet in his lap. He was drawing a diagram when a comet shot by. The goggles rapidly recorded the important facts about it and Cas jotted them down. He hoped Dean had seen the comet. He wanted to have that to share with him.  
Cas's stomach growled loudly enough to surprise him and he dropped his computer pen. He picked the pen up and inspected it for damage, and upon seeing it was in one piece, he attached it to the tablet. It was late, but not late enough that eating was out of the question. No one had even come to get him for dinner, so he assumed that they had all fended for themselves.   
He stood up and stretched his arms over his head and headed to the kitchen. He didn't bother to turn on the light as he entered. He opened the refrigerator and its white light filled the room anyway. He dug around in the fridge for anything interesting. There were some left overs on a shelf that he decided looked edible, so he took them. When he closed the door to the refrigerator, he was startled to see Balthazar standing there behind it. He managed not to drop the container of leftovers.  
“You scared me.” Cas said indignantly, walking over and shoving his dinner in the microwave.  
“Oh sorry.” He laughed.  
“What do you want?”  
“I just woke up, so breakfast?”  
Cas pushed the buttons on the microwave and leaned against the counter. “It's 9:30 at night.”  
“It's morning somewhere.”  
“Want some of the leftovers?”  
The microwave beeped.  
“Sure.” he shrugged and in the dim light cast by the microwave Cas could tell he looked skeptical about what was in there.   
Cas took it out and put the container on the table. He weighed the pros and cons of whether to use a fork or a spoon to eat it, and came to the conclusion that a fork was better. He grabbed two and handed one the Balthazar. Just as he put a bit of semi-hot leftovers in his mouth, Balthazar spoke.  
“So, you went out to see that band again, did you?” Cas shot him a looked of annoyance. “Take your time.” He seemed impatient despite. Cas swallowed.  
“Yes, did Gabriel tell you about it?”  
“You almost knocked me off the sofa, I was bound to ask.”  
“Sorry.”  
“So, what, you just went back to the Cavern every night?”  
“He didn't tell you about-” Cas decided not to get into how far his relationship with Dean went in hopes of avoiding awkward questions. “-how I befriended the singer?”  
“What singer?”  
“The lead singer from the band.”  
“I barely remember him.”  
“He's got brown hair and green eyes. You saw me talking to him before you left with Gabriel.”  
“Honestly, I have barely any memory of that night.”  
“Okay, whatever, my point is I was spending time with him.”  
“Every night?”  
“Yes.”  
“Did you fuck him?”  
Cas choked on the bite of food in his mouth.  
“No, I did not!”  
Balthazar shrugged. “What did you do then?”  
“I watched him sing, you know, because I was seeing a band?”  
“Wow, sarcasm. I didn't know you knew how to use it.”  
Cas flicked some of the food at him, though it didn't actually hit him.  
“I also drove around with him in his car.”  
“I didn't know people in Sector Eight had cars.” Balthazar ate some of Cas's dinner, then made a face and set the fork down.  
“They don't.” Cas said. “But Dean does.”  
“Dean is the singer?”  
“Yes.”  
“So, what, you just snuck out to sit around with the guy?”  
“I suppose so. I-” he contemplated whether he would be teased, “-I did like him though.”  
“You liked him. You mean you loved him?”  
Cas paused. Balthazar was looking at him seriously. “Yes. I did. I do.”  
Balthazar stared at him, still seriously for a moment before he cracked a smile.   
“And you didn't sleep with him!” He stood up and patted Cas's head. “You're so boring, Cassie.” He headed out of the kitchen.  
“I kissed him!” Cas shouted after him. “...With tongues!”   
Balthazar laughed from the other room and yelled goodnight to him. Cas turned back to his dinner.

Gabe had said to wait, but it had been four days now, and Cas was going stir-crazy. He was laying in his bed and staring at the ceiling. There were hundreds of glow-in-the-dark star stickers on his ceiling. His dad had stuck them up there when Cas was a baby. They still glowed brightly in the dark after all this time.   
Cas could only stare at them for so long though. It wasn't the same as the real thing, and he was even tired of that. Just a month ago, he would have never thought it was possible.   
It was around four in the afternoon when Gabriel came in without bothering to knock and sat on the bed. Cas looked over at him but didn't sit up.  
“What?”   
“Do you want to go or not?” Gabe smirked at him.  
Cas sat up. “But it's the middle of the day!”  
“Do you think Dean just flashes out of existence during the day? He's still going to be in Sector Eight.”  
“Oh.” Cas supposed that he thought of Dean as a figure that was in a certain place at a certain time, waiting for him to arrive. He had never thought about daytime in Sector Eight. He couldn't imagine the place when the sun was out. “What did you tell Michael?”  
“I haven't yet. I'm going to tell him that I'm taking you out for ice cream because you're moping around like a baby and need to get out.”  
Cas rolled his eyes but thanked him anyway. “You're going to drive me into Sector Eight?”  
“Actually, we're going to get ice cream.” Cas cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “But afterward we'll go.”   
“Of course you would actually want to go out for ice cream at a time like this.”  
“If we really do it, we aren't lying to Michael. We're just making another stop that we didn't tell him about.” Gabe pushed him off the bed. “Now put your shoes on and we'll go downstairs.”  
Cas nodded and put his sneakers on. “What about in Sector Eight? You made a big deal about me dressing a certain way the last time you took me, what about now?”  
“I already have some stuff in my car, just come on.”   
Cas took a deep breath and followed him downstairs to where Michael was sitting on the sofa watching some sort of television drama. Gabe casually leaned over the back of the sofa next to him.  
“I'm taking Cas out.” he said.  
“Where are you taking him?”  
“Out for ice cream. He's going stir-crazy in here, if you haven't noticed.”  
“I haven't.”  
“Wow, okay, yeah. Well, he is and I'm taking him.”  
Balthazar strolled into the living room then and stood next to Cas. They looked at each other for a moment, then back at the older brothers.  
“You aren't taking him without my permission, Gabriel.”  
“Why do you think I'm telling you about it?”  
“You aren't asking me by telling me what you're going to do.”  
“Just let me get some ice cream, jeez.”  
“I wouldn't mind some ice cream.” Balthazar spoke up.  
“Well, too bad.” said Gabe. “Me and Cas only.”  
“No.” said Michael narrowing his eyes. “Take him too.”  
Gabe glared at Balthazar but nodded. “Fine. As long as we can go.”  
“Go on, just don't do anything you'll regret.” said Michael.  
“It's freaking ice cream for fuck's sake!” Gabe tossed his hands up, but he didn't actually seem angry. He hurried out the door into the garage, Cas and Balthazar following him.  
Once he was sure he was out of earshot of Michael he addressed Balthazar.  
“I had a plan here, Balty, what's the big idea?”  
“I know you had a plan here, I wanted to come too.”  
“The plan was not actually just ice cream!”  
“I know.”  
Gabriel stared. “What?”  
“I was listening outside of Cassie's door. I know what you're doing.”  
“You're welcome to come along.” Cas interjected and pushed Gabe into the driver's seat. He climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door. Balthazar sat in the back, which was actually a bit small, as the car was a tiny electric model.  
“See? Cassie wants me along.”  
“I'm glad you're coming with us.” Gabe said, sarcastically. “I was really hoping that tonight I would get to drag my brother home drunk off his ass from a nightclub.”  
“I can drag myself, thank you.”  
“But you were planning on getting drunk!”  
“I didn't say that.” He paused. “But probably.”  
Gabe rolled his eyes as he pulled into the ice cream shop. “You know, I'd like to have a drink too, but I'm going to be the smart one here and drive your drunk ass home.”  
Balthazar climbed out of the car. “Cassie's the smart one here.”  
“Can we just hurry up?” Cas questioned. “I would like to get out to Sector Eight sometime soon.”  
“It's only five o'clock, we have plenty of time.” said Gabe.  
“Think of it as if I’m in a personal hurry.”

It was six when they left the shop and the sun was still shining. They were in the car again, though they were sitting in the crowded drive though of a coffee shop.  
“Remind me again why you're torturing me, Gabriel?”  
“Because it's good for you.”  
“Not for you though.” Cas said, narrowing his eyes.  
“Was that a threat, because I will turn this car around.”  
“No, it wasn't.” Cas crossed his arms and gazed out the window. Sector One was practically glowing in the late afternoon sun with all of its white buildings. Cas wondered what Sector Eight was like during the day. He assumed that it would be mostly empty clubs with a few homeless people sitting about.   
“Here, Cas.” He was snapped out of his thought by Gabe handing him a cup of coffee. “We're actually going now. We'll drive into Sector Four and then change clothes.”  
“That sounds like a plan that I can live with.” Cas said and sipped his coffee, which was unreasonably hot and burned his tongue. He hissed in surprise and set the cup in the cup holder.  
“Don't worry about that burn, Cassie.” Balthazar was leaning between the seats. “When you see Dean, he'll kiss it better.”   
Cas took a swing at him but missed.   
They crossed the borderline into Sector Two. There were still huge mansions everywhere, but they were less white and sterile. The place almost seemed like somewhere nice too live, other than the fact that the main building, the bank, was a crime scene and there were police lines everywhere. Gabe had to turn down a few detours before reaching Sector Three.  
Sector Three was a lot like Sector Two, only with smaller mansions and that it actually contained regular sized houses as well. Sector Four was fast approaching as Gabe was going over the speed limit. Cas was torn between telling him to slow down and seeing Dean quicker. It was already around six forty-five and would be dark soon.   
When they got to Sector Four, Gabe pulled into a gas station and parked. He yanked a bag from the back and handed it to Cas.  
“He's the clothes that you were oh-so-worried about.” He said.  
They walked in and squeezed into the gas station bathroom together. It was small, but Sector Four was a relatively clean place, so it wasn't completely unpleasant as far as public bathrooms went.   
They fumbled around in close quarters for a while and when they walked out, some people were staring at them.   
“We're brothers.” Cas said with narrowed eyes.  
The crowd seemed to only stare harder, so they quickly rushed out. Cas had to take a mental note to not go into that particular gas station if he ever found himself in Sector Four again.

It was dark by the time they got to Sector Eight. There was much more traffic going between sectors during the day than at night. Sector Eight was just starting to come alive with neon and shouting. All the clubs were open, but not too crowded. Gabe had parked in a Sector Six parking garage and they had walked the rest of the way. Cas lead the way to the Cavern and stood inside the main entrance. Balthazar headed inside without a word, but Gabe lingered nearby, as if he was the one that was too nervous to leave Cas this time, the opposite of his last visit.  
There was another band playing. They were good, but they weren't Dean good.  
“Cas?!” A woman was shouting his name from outside of the Cavern. Both of them turned around quickly to face her. Meg.  
Meg's hair had grown out a bit since he had first seen her playing on stage with Dean, and it was dark brown now. She was in a tight leather jacket and black jeans tucked into leather boots. She was also glaring at Cas.  
“Where have you been!?” She growled. “Do you know how worried I've been about you?!”  
Gabe leaned over to him. “Is this Dean?” He chuckled.  
Cas pushed him aside. “This is Meg.” He turned to her. “Meg, this is my older brother, Gabriel. He was just heading inside to watch over Balthazar and make sure he doesn't get himself killed.”  
Gabe looked annoyed, but listened to Cas.   
“Why didn't you come back until now? You used to come every night.”  
“Michael caught me. I couldn't get out of the house. Gabe snuck me out this time. I probably won't be around much after tonight.”  
Meg looked saddened by that but nodded. “Can't you go against him? Just keep sneaking out at night?”  
“I can't disobey him like that. It wouldn't be right.”  
“He's just some Sector One Government douchebag, what's the point?”   
“The point is that he's my brother.”  
She shook her head. “Fine, but I'm really going to miss you, Clarence.”  
“Yes.” He said. “I'll miss you too.” He wrapped his arms around her. He head came up only to about his shoulder and she had her face in his chest. She held onto him for a minute before letting go, even before he did. He looked at her again.  
“Is Dean here?”  
Meg's expression changed from bitter sweet to somewhat annoyed.  
“He's unloading the instruments in the back right now.”  
“Can I talk to him?”  
“I guess you can. You can always wait and talk to me. He'll be out front before the show. He's always out front before the show. Even when you didn't show up, he waited until the last minute.” She shrugged.   
“I'd rather talk to him now if I could.”  
“Just let him get in the door.”  
“Fine.”  
They stood in silence for a while even though Meg had expressed interest in talking. He didn't know what to say to her. She had her hands crossed over her chest and was leaning against the door frame of the entrance looking inside. She must have seen Dean coming, because she leaned in close to him and said, “He's all yours.” As she headed inside, she shouted, “I'm always here if you need someone!”  
Cas didn't know what need she was talking about, but Dean was exiting the building with a look on his face that Cas couldn't read.   
“Where the Hell have you been.”  
Cas sighed that he would have to explain himself again, but he did. Dean stared down at him the whole time with an annoyed look on his face. The annoyance didn't seem to be directed at Cas, however. Cas assumed he was angry with Michael for what he did.   
“I have one other thing that's been weighing on me, Dean.” Cas said.  
“After the show, Cas, I have to go on stage.”  
“No, Dean, you need to tell me.”  
“I'll tell you whatever it is later. Just meet me out back, in the alley where my car is parked.”  
Cas sighed and nodded. Dean didn't say anything else and just left. He rushed inside the building. Cas lingered outside of the door for a while. He could hear when the band started to play, but he still didn't go in.  
They had gotten though two songs before he went in and found Gabe and Balthazar seated at the bar. Gabe was talking to Jo, and Balthazar was more or less slurring at her. Cas said nothing and they said nothing to him. Jo looked like she wanted to, but reading into the sigh he gave upon sitting must have told her to not.   
Cas would just wait out the show. Dean would be back, he promised. He'd have all the answers tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be completely honest, I despise Megstiel, but I like the idea of them being friends. Why does every friendship between a male and female character have to have sexual tension? Either way, this chapter was a bit longer, and I'm hoping to finish up the story in the next chapter or so.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I wasn't sure if I was going to add a scene to this that would make it "mature", so I didn't add the rating until this chapter. It's also my first time writing anything like this, so bear with me if it's not very good or cheesy and overused. Here it is, however, the chapter that prompts the rating.

Cas stared at his feet while Dean leaned against the car. They didn't say anything. It wasn't that Cas didn't have anything to say. He had a lot too say. He had rehearsed it all in his room for the time when he would actually get to say it to Dean. Now that he was faced with Dean, alone in the alley, he didn't know what to say. It was all lost in his head. Nothing but a jumbled mess.  
“What did you want to ask me?” Dean said after a long silence. Cas's head shot up. Dean was calm. He wasn't angry anymore, or at least he wasn't showing it. He wasn't frantic like he had been to rush onto the stage. It was just them now, nothing to come in between.   
“I need to know what you've been doing.”  
Dean sighed in exasperation. He must have known Cas would ask that, but was hoping that he wouldn't.  
“It doesn't matter, Cas.” He turned and put his leg out for Cas to see. He was wearing he same jeans as last time, and Cas could see the spot where the wound was through the tear in them. It was healed other than just a scar. “My leg is okay, everything is fine.” He smiled lightly.  
“It's not fine though.” Cas had to tell him what he had seen on television the other day. “I saw the Sector Two robbery on the news.” Dean's smile disappeared. “They showed footage of it. The leader of the gang, he got stabbed in the leg. Right there.” Cas pointed to the leg that Dean was still holding out to him.   
“Lot's of people get hurt, especially in Sector Eight.”  
“He had your eyes.”  
“You're accusing me, Cas.”  
“I'm not. I'm asking you for the truth and adding reasons to give it.”  
Dean glared darkly at Cas. “What if I am the guy?”  
“I-”  
Cas couldn't get in another word before being shoved against the alley wall.  
“What would you do if I was the criminal that's been robbing banks and stealing all that money?” His face was close enough to Cas's that if he leaned any closer, he'd be kissing him. Dean held him there tightly, breathing heavily in Cas's face.  
“Dean, let go!”  
“No, Cas, I'm asking you for the truth, and adding reasons to give it!”  
“I don't know!”  
“Would you still want to kiss me?”  
“I don't know!”  
“Would you love me still?”  
“Dean I-”   
Dean was pressing his lips to Cas's now. He loosened the painful grip that was holding Cas in place to run his hands down and hold his hips instead. Cas got over his shock and draped his arms loosely over Dean's shoulders.  
Dean pulled back but kept his hands on Cas.  
“I would love you if it was true. I would love you no matter what. I can't seem to stop loving you.”  
“Then don't.” Dean kissed him again, more roughly, this time biting at his lower lip, and Cas let him slide his tongue in. He began to grind his hips into Cas's, which surprised him and that surprise went straight to his dick. He hadn't ever expected to be shoved against a dirty wall and kissed so passionately, but here he was. He could feel that he wasn't the only one starting to get hard from the motion as their hips moved together. He didn't argue as Dean's hands left his hips to undo the buckle of the ratty belt he was wearing. The button on his jeans came next, then the jeans were being forced down to his thighs. Dean broke away from kissing him to kiss his neck instead.  
Dean ran a hand inside his boxers and Cas gasped. Dean chuckled into his Cas's neck and rubbed faster. Cas gripped onto his shoulders and moaned, pushing his hips up into the touch. He'd never had anyone touch him before. He had never even kissed anyone before Dean, and this was totally new.   
He pushed Dean back and grabbed at his jeans. He fumbled with the button a little more than he would have liked too. His hands were shaking with nervousness and he was having trouble. Eventually he got the button undone, and was tugging at the jeans to get them down. The jeans hung around Dean's knees and he raised an eyebrow at Cas. Cas stared back nervously and tried to crack a smile that didn't look forced.   
Dean tugged Cas's boxers the rest of the way down his hips and grabbed a hold of his dick. He pumped his hand, slowly at first, then faster. Cas dug his nails into Dean's shoulders, though Dean hardly noticed though the leather jacket. He took the remaining hand that was keeping Cas pinned to the wall and pushed his own boxers down. Though he was flushed, Cas could still see that he had the other hand curled around his own dick, and Cas could feel his knuckles on his bare skin as he continued to grind into him though it.   
“Let me-” Cas pushed Dean's hand and took over so that he was mimicking what Dean was doing to him.   
“Eager.” Dean mumbled into his neck. Cas was glad that Dean couldn't see his face because he blushed darker red than he was already.  
Dean seemed to like the fact that he was eager though. He moved his hand more quickly until Cas couldn't take it and forced his hips up into his hand further. He must have stopped moving the hand that was on Dean though, because it was being pushed away now. Dean took both of their dicks into his hand. Cas's now free hand found it's way to the fabric of Dean's slightly torn tee shirt. He gripped the shirt and buried his hand in it.   
Dean's hand moved quickly and Cas couldn't keep himself from fucking into it. He was going on instinct alone and all his instincts wanted Dean, no matter what. Dean groaned and pushed him harder against the wall. He must have wanted Cas the same way, and to Cas that was perfect. It felt right to be doing this with him. In that moment, it didn't matter that Dean was probably the leader of a dangerous gang that was robbing banks and vandalizing Government property. It didn't matter that Cas was family of the same Government and that he was going to be in huge trouble if they knew he was here. None of that mattered. All that mattered was him, and Dean, and how close he was getting to the edge.   
He was breathless and sweating, warmth pooling in his stomach as Dean pumped them both faster and harder. He muttered something into Dean's hair about being close, but the words came out barely intelligible before he came into Dean's hand and shirt.   
Dean didn't stop until he was done, and when he was he dropped his hands and for the first time let Cas free from the wall. Cas stared at him dizzy and red in the face while Dean examined his tee shirt.  
“I-” Cas started, fumbling around with his belt, “....sorry....”  
“S'fine...” Dean shed his jacket and handed it to him. Cas took the jacket and held it too his chest. It smelled like Dean, and a bit like himself. Dean pulled his shirt off over his head and grabbed the jacket back.   
Cas couldn't help but to stare at his bare chest. His body was strong and muscular without being uncomfortably muscular. His skin was scarred, but all the scars seemed old and were really barely there.   
He slipped his jacket over his bare shoulders and turned around to unlock the back seat of his car. He tossed his shirt into the back and walked back over to Cas.  
“Cassie!” The sound of Gabe's voice from far away brought Cas back to what the real situation was.  
“Looks like you're wanted by someone other than me.” said Dean, staring him in the eyes for the first time since he let him go from the wall.  
“It's my brother.” said Cas. “I guess I should go home with him.”  
“Yeah.” Dean said. “Will you ever come back?”  
“I don't want this to be the last time I see you or...” He paused glanced at the ground. “Yeah, but I have to leave.”  
Dean placed a hand on his shoulder, gently this time. “Just remember, that no matter what happens, I love you more than anyone.”  
Cas nodded, not knowing what to say, and rushed out of the alley back to the front of the Cavern. Dean stood by the car and watched him go until he was out of sight.

Cas fiddled with the bottom of his shirt while Gabe talked excitedly to him outside the Cavern.  
“Okay, we're going to need to get back into the house without Michael getting suspicious.”  
“It's a little late for that, Gabriel.”  
“No, it's not, because while you were over there getting your dick sucked-” Cas opened his mouth to protest against him but was shushed by his hand, “-or whatever you were doing, I was using my unfortunate-” he stretched the letters for emphasis, “-position as the designated driver to come up with a plan.”  
“What exactly is the plan then?”  
“Okay, I have a friend in Sector One. Actually, I have plenty of them, but this friend happens to be the older sister of a girl that I just so happen to know has slept with drunk-zilla in there on multiple occasions.” He gestured through the door into the clearing building at Balthazar still laying against the bar, laughing at something Jo was saying while she scowled. “We'll just say that we met her at the ice cream store and went to her house. Easy.”  
Cas nodded. “But what if Michael calls her?”  
“That's why I'm going to call her first and tell her what to expect.”  
“What if she won't do it?”  
“She will.”  
“You can't be sure.”  
“Did I mention that we're very good friends?”  
“Whatever.” Cas made a face and shook his head. “What happens next?”  
“Next, the two of us lug Balty over to the car and I drive us home. You go to be free of charge, and Michael can check my sources. He can call the ice cream shop, we were there. He can call my friend, we'll already have got her on board.”  
“Right. So, I guess we should start with the lugging.”  
“Yeah, we have to lug him for two sectors, so let's get with it.”  
Cas sighed and went back inside to the bar where Jo eyed him with annoyance.  
“C'mon, Cas, you disappear for a week and come back with this?” She pointed at Balthazar and he gave a wave to Cas. Cas rolled his eyes.  
“Yes, he's an unwelcome party member. We're here to collect him.”  
“Meg'll probably be willing to help if you need it. She's a bit tipsy now too, though.”  
“Meg is still here?”  
“Yeah, the band's been waiting at the bar for Dean. They left just after he came back inside.”  
“When did he come back?”  
“Cas, this is not the time!” Gabe hissed, already starting to support Balthazar under one arm. “We'll just let them leave, we've got him.”  
“Gabriel, we are parked in Sector Six, we can use some help carrying a full grown person!”  
“I am also a full grown person and I can carry him myself if I have to!”  
“You are barely a full grown person, Gabriel!”  
“You're calling me short and I resent that.”  
“You are short, and we can ask Meg for help.”  
“Help with what?”  
They- who had both been yelling in whisper close to each other- quickly stood up and turned around to see that Meg was there. Dean was not with her.  
“Him.” Cas pointed at Balthazar.  
“Ooh him.” She smiled. Cas could see that Jo was right about Meg being a bit tipsy. She was at least standing on two legs though. Balthazar was on two legs when he saw her, though just barely. He had grabbed her and she was supporting most of his weight when he kissed her roughly on the lips.  
Cas and Gabe stared in disbelief at them until she pushed him off and shrugged at Cas.  
“Could be you.” She smirked. Balthazar slurred something about it being Cas as well and slumped onto Meg. Gabe shook his head and took hold of his other arm again. The three of them walked out with Cas following behind.  
They walked in almost-silence other than Balthazar making little noises every now and then and Meg laughing at him. Cas focused on the way her dark hair bounced against her back when she walked and the way it swayed when she tossed he head back to laugh half-drunkenly. When they made it back to Gabe's car she laughed even more.   
“What is so funny?” Gabe growled at her.   
“You call that a car?” She said. “My dick is bigger than that!” She went into hysterics and Gabe rolled his eyes.  
“This is your fault, Cas. I could be laughing with this psycho bitch, but here I am, completely sober.”  
“I'm not sure if you're serious or not.” Cas said.   
“Doesn't matter.” Gabe let Balthazar fall fully onto Meg, and she stopped laughing in surprise. He pulled a bag out of the car. “Drop your pants.”  
“Excuse me?”   
“You need to change back into your normal clothes.”  
“I'm not taking my clothes off in front of her.” Cas said.  
“Just put your clothes on and get in the car! You would think that after all I've done for you, you would be grateful.”  
“I am grateful, Gabriel.”  
“Then get dressed! I have a phone call to make.” Gabe pulled out his cellphone. “And get him in the back!”

Cas leaned against the car door in his newer jeans and sweater while Balthazar rolled around in the back. Gabe was across the parking lot saying something into the phone about a favor. Meg stood next to Cas and leaned on the car.  
“So this is what you look like in your princess castle, huh?” She played with his shirt collar.   
“Why does everyone think it's a castle? It's just a house.”  
“I bet it's nice though.”  
“It's a nice house, yes.”  
“You look nice, all cleaned up.”  
“I bet you would as well.”  
She sputtered a laugh that lasted a little too long. “I'm not cut out for that. I like it here. I like it more when you're here though.”  
“I probably won't be much anymore.”  
“I know, I know! Your dumbass older brother and his dumbass Government rules and blah blah blah. You know, you need to push back. You deserve the life you want. You just have to take it sometimes.”  
Gabe walked back over. “Okay, we're all set, just gotta get in the door.”  
Cas nodded to Gabe and addressed Meg. “Are you alright to get back to Sector Eight?”  
“I've made it back plenty of times, waaay more drunk, so yeah, I'm awe-some.”  
“Goodnight then.” Cas said as he opened the passenger door. Gabe was already inside the car.  
Meg leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Better than your brother.” She smirked before strutting off into the garage. “See ya around, Clarence!”

Balthazar was snoring in the backseat as Gabe drove them in silence back to their home. Cas was now given the chance to quietly reflect on the night's events and to be the victim of a restless mind. He thought back to Dean and him in the alley. He had once again not gotten a straight answer from Dean about being the criminal that Cas worried he was. Cas didn't really need that answer now, though. He was almost one hundred percent sure that Dean was the same guy on the news that everyone was on the look-out for.   
Even with the worry in his head, he still flushed at the thought of Dean's touch. He felt a jolt at the memory and shivered slightly. He was reeling at the thought of his first time doing anything like that. He knew it wasn't like he had had actual sex with him, but it was still shocking and enjoyable all at once. Maybe next time they met, he would let Dean go further with him. He imagined the thought of being undressed and sprawled out in the backseat of the impala while Dean was on top of him, in full control, and he shivered again, this time all the way between his legs and he tried to stop thinking about it while in the car with is brothers.  
Gabe passed the marker for Sector One and all the houses were crisp and white again.  
“Home, sweet home.” Gabe said with slight sarcasm as he pulled into the driveway.  
He parked in the garage and pulled Balthazar out of the backseat. Cas helped him carry him inside the house. Michael was waiting by the stairs for them when they came inside.  
“That must have been some ice cream.” He growled, mostly to Gabe.  
“Oh yeah, it sure was, they even put vodka in it.”  
Michael was not amused. “Where have you been?” he spat.  
“Calm down! Jeez, we ran into a friend at the shop and went to her place.”   
“All night?”  
“Yes, her sister happens to be very close to my main man here.” Gabe said. Balthazar grunted. “Uncomfortably close.”  
“Take your brothers upstairs, I want to talk to you privately.” Michael said.   
Gabe only nodded and he and Cas dragged Balthazar to his room. Gabe followed Cas into his room and sat on the bed next to him.  
“You willing to tell me about your night?” Gabe asked.  
“I think that's my own business.” Cas crossed his arms defiantly.   
“Right, then that's a no.”  
“That's right.” Cas dropped his arms to his sides. “But thank you for tonight. I'm really thankful for this.”  
“I'll see how much I accept that thanks after Michael chews my ass out about it.” Gabe stood up and walked out the door. From the doorway, he said his goodnight to Cas. Cas couldn't hear him talking downstairs, but he assumed that Michael was lecturing him.   
Cas was exhausted and barely had the strength to take off his clothes- annoying, as he had just put them on- and put his pajamas on. He again didn't bother to shower. He could save that for the morning. He was still on house arrest, which he'd almost forgotten about, and had all the time in the world to do it tomorrow. He climbed into bed and curled up under the blankets. Despite all his worries and feelings, he still managed to fall asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm splitting this into parts instead of writing it all into one single story at this point

Cas stumbled downstairs the next morning rubbing his eyes. He walked into the kitchen, but nobody was there. It was still early in the day, and usually there would be someone out there. They all seemed to be in the living room.  
Cas walked out there and stood behind the sofa were Michael, Gabe, and Anna were sitting. Balthazar was in a chair across the room. Some of the others were sitting on the floor. They all had their eyes trained on the television.  
“Morning?” Cas said questioningly, hoping one of them would tell him to sit, or at least tell him what was so interesting. Instead, he was shushed by a few of his siblings. He leaned over Gabe's shoulder to look at the news that was playing. His eyes widened as he caught the story.  
The news was playing live coverage of the robbery of the bank attached to the Sector One Government building. The same gang was there, right in the middle of Cas's home sector. Dean was there.  
“You're really just going to all sit here and watch this?” Cas asked. Michael turned to look at him sternly.  
“Yes, Castiel, we've received instructions not to leave our homes for any means. I suggest you sit down.”  
“No, Michael, I'm not going to sit down.” Cas was going into panic mode. He emotions were bubbling inside of him, and he was going to do something he might regret later. He might not regret it though. So, it was worth a shot.  
Michael got to his feet and glared at Cas over the back of the sofa. “What are you going to do then?”  
“I'm going to go down there. I'm going to stop the robbery.”  
“You are going to do no such thing. You can't single-handedly save Sector One, Castiel!”  
“I don't care about Sector One.” Cas locked eyes intensely with his older brother. “I care about Dean Winchester.”  
“What do you mean? Who is Dean Winchester?” Michael hissed. Gabe eyed Cas from his seat as well.  
“Dean Winchester is the man in charge of that robbery that's going on right now.” Cas stated though it hurt him to hear the words coming out of his own mouth. “And he's also my boyfriend.”  
Michael's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and anger. “What?!”  
“Dean Winchester is the man I love, and I'm going down to that bank to make sure he doesn't get himself killed.”  
Cas turned to stomp out the door when Michael spoke.  
“Castiel Novak, if you walk out that door, you are never going to walk back into it.”  
“Oh.” Cas said without turning back to him. “Well, piss off.” He strode to the door and flung it open. “Enjoy your life without me!”  
Michael was shouting something as Cas ran into the empty street in his house slippers.  
“Cassie! Cassie wait!” Cas stopped in surprise at Balthazar's voice coming up behind him.  
“What do you want? You're not going to convince me to go back there, I'll tell you now.”  
Balthazar scoffed, though it could have been him wincing in the early afternoon sunlight due to being hungover. “I'm not going to pull that. I'm coming with you.”  
“No.” Cas said, stretching the “o” sound, “You are not going to come with me.”  
“Of course I am. I'm not going to sit and listen to Michael run his mouth while you get shot to death.”  
“Just go back.”  
“You can't tell me what to do, and you're wasting time.”  
“Fine!” Cas shouted taking off running again. He didn't bother to see if Balthazar was running too.  
He didn't stop until he made it to the bank. There were police lines and their cars surrounded the place.  
“Good luck getting into there.” Balthazar mumbled into Cas's ear.  
“I can get in. I'll sneak around back and climb into a window. Just lift me up.”  
Balthazar grumbled something about a headache as Cas headed quickly around the back without waiting for an agreement. The back of the Government building faced some trees and the back wall of Sector One. There were only a few cops near the back, and Cas managed to sneak past them over to a window.  
“Lift me to here!” He whispered kicking off his slippers. Balthazar nodded and pushed him up by his bare feet up. The window was already open and Cas managed to slide inside just as the cops noticed Balthazar standing there. He didn't wait to see what happened to him.  
He ran down the empty linoleum hallway into the main part of the bank. He scanned the people in there quickly for Dean. He barely noticed the shouting around him until he felt the barrel of a gun to his temple.  
Everything seemed to being going by very slowly. Cas recognized the smell of the person who's hands were on him. There was no doubt now that it was Dean.  
“Dean.” Cas mumbled and the gun moved from his head. He was spun around against his will to face the masked man behind him.  
“C-Cas?!” Dean stuttered.  
A female voice from across the room shouted to Dean. Meg.  
“What the fuck is he doing?!” Cas couldn't see Meg behind him, but he could hear running and the sound of her voice getting closer.  
“I-I came to stop you.” Cas muttered trying not to panic. If he panicked now, he would ruin everything. “You can't do this. This is wrong!”  
Everything was quiet now, and the word “wrong” echoed all around the room, into the high ceiling.  
“Cas, you can't be here.” Said Dean.  
“I can be where ever the Hell I want to be. I live here, Dean.”  
“You can't be serious, Cas. You can't just barge into a bank robbery!” Dean scowled at him. Cas could see the fury in his eyes even with the mask on.  
“How did you even get in here?” Meg asked.  
“Meg, shut up, and get the fuck out of my business.” Dean growled. Meg obliged, though grudgingly. “You need to leave right now, Cas.” Dean continued loudly after Meg had moved away. “You don't need to see me doing this.”  
“You made me tell you that I would love you no matter what.” Cas said, unfaltering this time. “Was that just an empty promise to you? Did it not really matter.”  
Dean stammered but nothing came out.  
“You need to stop. Let these people go.” Cas gestured to all the people in the bank around them. Some were bank workers, some bank patrons, and some Government workers from other divisions. They must have collected them into this room.  
“It's too late, Cas. There's no going back. All the cops are there and we're in this.”  
“Then I'm in this.”  
“What?”  
“I'm going to join you. I don't care if I become a wanted criminal, or get arrested. I just don't want to leave you. I want us to both get out of here.”  
“No, Cas. No way in Hell-”  
“I've made up my mind.” Cas took Dean's hand and held it for a moment before pulling it up and putting Dean's gun to his head. “Take me hostage. Walk me out the front door. There's a window in the back where I came in. The others can sneak out of it while to police are distracted.”  
“You've gotta be joking! Cas, you're going to be killed!”  
“Let all the other people go out first, then follow them out with me.”  
Dean sighed and stared at Cas as if he were taking in all of his features. The moment passed slowly, even though Dean was only staring for less than a minute. Then, Dean took the gun away from Cas's head and shot it upward into white wall just below the glass ceiling. Everyone was silent as Dean turned to look at the workers and his own group.  
“Alright, all you Sector One workers get out of here now.” He said. The people gazed at him with wide eyes and confused expressions. He pointed his gun at the closest worker, a woman in a white shirt and a pink vest. “Now, or I'll shoot her.”  
The people seemed to take that to heart and began to rush the door, fumblingly pulling away the barrier that was set there. Once they were all out, Dean turned to his group.  
“Okay, you all need to get out through the back.” A few of them nodded in unison. “Crowley, you have the money, right?”  
Cas spun to face Dean incredulously. “You're kidding, right? After all of this, you're still going to rob this bank?”  
“I'm not letting the police lock me up without anything to show for it, Cas. I have bigger plans for this.”  
“Fine.” Cas gave in. “But don't let it slow them down.”  
“It won't. This is our profession.” Dean raised his voice on “profession” and Cas assumed it was for Crowley and Meg's sake. They were over near the other side of the room and seemed to be arguing about something. Meg looked like she was about to shoot him. They both stopped sharply at Dean's voice and Crowley shook the bag in his hands. “Okay everyone, you get the plan. Get out.”  
There were two other people in the room beside Cas himself, Dean, Meg, and Crowley. He thought that one of them could be Jo, but he couldn't tell for sure. The other was a woman unfamiliar to him. The rest of the gang disappeared into the back of the building where Cas had entered, leaving just Cas and Dean alone in the huge, white room.  
“Let's go.” Cas said. Dean took a firm grip on his arm and pushed him out the door with the gun back at his head. The hot concrete of the road in front of the Government building burned Cas's bare feet.  
Outside the Government building there was chaos. People rushing about, police shoving others back. Cas scanned the crowd for Balthazar. He eventually spotted him standing next to the police. Cas couldn't tell if he was in handcuffs.  
Dean had to shout to be heard over all the noise. “Okay, listen up! This guy here is my hostage, and I'm going to blow his head off if you don't let me go.”  
Cas trembled at how convincing he was. He couldn't tell if Dean was just acting or if he was really going to shoot Cas if the police tried to stop him. Everyone's eyes were on them. Dean backed out of the police line slowly, tensely. He didn't stop backing slowly until he was standing in the road and his car was pulling up behind him. The back door flung open and he fell backwards in. Cas felt himself pulled in after Dean by arms wrapped around his waist. The door to the car slammed shut, barely missing his foot, and they sped off. Gunshots could be heard and people were fleeing the scene. Three cars chased them as they made an escape.  
As the car drove off into Sector Two, Cas caught a quick glimpse of Balthazar getting away from the scene. He felt a bit badly about leaving him to the police, but it was his decision to come along.  
Once in Sector Three, Cas noticed that they were no longer being followed. As his heart rate started to slow back to normal, he got a look at his companions in the car with him. The backseat that he was squeezed into contained other than him, Dean, Meg, Crowley, and another woman who he didn't know, but assumed was the woman from inside the building. Jo was in the passenger seat and the driver was a man with a beard that Cas had never seen. He looked extra disgruntled.  
“What now?” Cas spoke up.  
“Now we get back to Sector Eight and hide the car, then make a run for it.” Meg explained, looking at Dean to make sure this was still the plan. He only nodded.  
Jo turned around. “Do you want us to drop you here, Cas?”  
“No.” said Cas. “I'm not going back home. I'm not welcome there anymore.”  
None of the others pressed Cas for an explanation and he didn't offer it. The rest of the ride was silent. When they made it back to Sector Eight, the driver pulled the car into the alley. Cas's mind flashed back to being in this alley the night before and he couldn't keep from turning slightly red in the face. That seemed like it was so long ago. How could it have been last night?  
The car had barely stopped when everyone was jumping out of it. Dean tossed the tarp over the top. He and his companions hurried into the Cavern with Cas tagging behind.  
“Can someone tell me what is going on?” Cas questioned as the whole group headed behind the bar.  
“We're going to the sewers.” Dean explained, though he seemed displeased about it. “We'll hide out there and regroup. Then we'll put the rest of the plan into action.”  
“What plan?!”  
Dean didn't answer because he had already disappeared behind the bar. When Cas came around to the other side of it, he found there was a secret door in the floor with a ladder leading down. Cas didn't really like the look of it, but he followed Dean down anyway.  
Walking around barefoot in the smelly underground cave made Cas almost rethink his choices. He followed the group down the wreaking corridor to a larger room anyway.  
“Okay, Cas, if you want to join up with us, you're going to need to know what our objective is.” Said Dean. The others stood around him and for the first time Cas had a clear look at all their faces, even in the dim light of the sewer chamber. This was the gang that was calling themselves Team Free Will. These people had been going about and destroying Government property and stealing money. Now, Cas was finally going to know why. Dean continued. “The Government system is corrupt, Cas.” Cas nodded in agreement. “I want to damage them as much as possible.” Cas took note of the way Dean said “I” instead of “we” and glanced around at the rest of the people who he could guess all had their own reasons for joining with Dean. “But just breaking down the Government isn't what I want to do. I want out of here.”  
“Out of where?” Cas asked.  
“Here. Out of the system.” Dean's eyes burned the same way they had the first night Cas had met him. “I was to get out of the Sector One Gate.”  
“Outside of Sector One?” Cas said. “Nobody knows what's out there! There could be anything!”  
“Anything is still better than what's in here. I'm making an impact on the Government for them to remember me by. And I'm taking us out of here. Soon.”  
“It's different.” Cas said. “I'll be honest with you. I don't like the idea of the unknown.” Dean frowned but Cas wasn't done. “But I'll come. I've seen the Government from a Sector One point of view. They're taking the citizens' money and not putting it back into the community. Maybe a band of rebels causing a commotion is just what they need.”  
“I couldn't agree more.” Dean said. “Then it's settled. We start planning to get out of here tomorrow.” Dean turned around to look at all of his group and not just Cas. “No one goes up to the surface until I say so. We stay down here and out of police eyes. It won't be long before they come looking for us in Sector Eight.” The others made sounds of agreement and Dean waved his hands at them. “Go find somewhere to rest up. We don't have long.”  
As the others filed out of the larger space, Dean and Cas were alone again.  
“So this was your vision all along?” Cas asked him quietly.  
“Not so much of a vision as an idea. A plan. I had this planned from the day that my dad was killed. I was alone and it was the Government's fault. He'd always talked about finding he man who killed mom. He changed his tune a bit after he found the guy.”  
“What do you mean?”  
Dean sat down on a railing and motioned for Cas to join him. “I guess it's time to tell you everything.”  
“I may not get another chance to know about your life, so you might as well.”  
“Right okay, where do I even start?”  
“I know that your mom was killed in a fire, and that your dad moved to Sector Eight after that.”  
“Yeah, I told you about it a bit, but not all the details. Obviously, he came to Eight to catch the guy who killed her. He spent all his time trying to kill this guy. Well, one day he found out some stuff that was not exactly too pretty about my mom.”  
Cas didn't even realize he was staring so intently at Dean until he started to slip from the railing and caught himself. Dean stopped his story to laugh at him.  
“I'm sorry.” Cas muttered.  
“It's fine.” Dean composed himself and continued. “My mom was raised by criminal parents. She was involved in some violent crimes before she met my dad, and when they fell in love, she got out of it. Or at least she thought she did. Her death wasn't by a murderer, or an arsonist. It was a Government employee sent out to kill her for her crimes.” Cas gasped lightly as Dean went on. “My dad found out about that and realized that everything he had done was a lie. He started to look into the Government to track down this guy. While digging, he found some worse stuff on the Government than he had expected. He didn't care though. He just wanted to get rid of that one single guy. Unlike him, I cared. It bugged me that the people in charge were doing such shitty things. It bugged Sam too, but I guess not enough to stop him from leaving.” Dean paused.  
“I'm sorry he left, Dean.” Cas said, unsure what to make of the silence between them now.  
“It's better that he did.” Dean said, almost like he was deciding it just then. “Anyway, my dad and I broke into the Government building one night. The Night. The night that my dad would see this guy dead. He didn't though. The guy got me and had a gun to my head. It was either we leave, or he would shoot me. My dad picked neither, and the guy shot him right there.”  
“What did you do?”  
“Shot him dead.” Cas was surprised. “He didn't expect me to have a gun as well and while he was busy looking over my dad, I shot him in the face. Then I fled back to Sector Eight and have been in there alone ever since.” Dean looked at Cas seriously. “I mean, I have all of the guys here, but you get it.”  
“I get it.” Cas affirmed.  
“But I have you now, so that's a good thing.”  
“It is. It really is.”  
Dean pulled Cas's face to his, more gently than he had in the past and kissed him. They held the kiss for a short while before Dean leaned back.  
“I suppose we should both rest too.” He said.  
“I agree. I don't know how this is going to turn out, but I have faith in you.”  
Dean was already disappearing down a passage. “I'm glad someone does.” He said, then he was gone.  
Cas sat on the railing by himself. It was night now, he could tell by the way that the light was no longer filtering into the openings in the ceiling. This wasn't how he pictured his day going. It wasn't something that he ever expected to happen to him. But here he was, now a rebel. The was going to get out of the Sector Establishment. He was going to do whatever he could.  
Whatever he could, for Dean.

End of Part One


End file.
